Apparatus for making structural elements for buildings



Oct. 14, 1952 J. c. DAVIS 2,613,423

APPARATUS FOR MAKING STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS FOR BUILDINGS Filed Jan. 15,1951 s Sheets-Sheet 1 (ll H H I i ATTORNYs Oct. 14, 1952 J. c. DAVIS2,613,423

' APPARATUS FOR MAKING STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS FOR BUILDINGS Filed Jan. 15,1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS 06L 1952 J. c. DAVIS 2,613,423

APPARATUS FOR MAKING STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS FOR BUILDINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed Jan. 15, 1951 Jaafi 6. Java's,

BY MW ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 14, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEAPPARATUS FOR MAKING STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS FOR BUILDINGS Jack C. Davis,Charleston, W. Va.

Application January '15, 1951', Serial No. 206,064

15 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an apparatus for making structural elementsfor buildings.

In my copending application, Serial No. 1298384, filed November 30,1950, I have disclosed a novel type of structural elements forbuildings, and more specifically facing units which can be: economicallyproduced and which, when assembled into the finished building, presentthe appearance of a solid masonry building. These units are formed ofbacking sheets, preferably of a relatively rigid fiber board type,possessing a high. degree of. insulating value. On the backing sheets isarranged in predetermined positionr corresponding to the usual.staggered arrangement of bricks, a plurality of elements actuallyformed. of brick material but made relatively thin so as to reduce thecost thereof. Theseelements are secured by adhesive to the backing sheetand the spaces between the thin brick. elements are partially filledwith mortar. Each unit has the backing sheet thereof correspending incontour to a predetermined assemblyof the brick elements by having alledge: portions projecting: slightly beyond the brick: ele ments for the:reception: of fastening elements, such. as nails, for securing the unitsagainst a supporting surface such. as the sheathing of a building.

The brick. elements assembled the unit project. from. opposite endsthereof forming spaces therebetween to receive the projecting brickelements and. the corresponding backing sheet portions of the nextadjacent sheets. The units,v so assembled, will form awall in which thebrick elements are continuously uniform in their staggered arrangement,just as if. the wall had. been assembled of conventional bricks. Thespaces between. the bricks of adjacent panels are then filled with.mortarfrom a suitable ex trudin'g device to form the completed wall, andthis mortar will match the mortar previously placed. between: theelements adhering to the backing sheet. The finished walliv soconstructed, cannot be distinguished from a solid brick wall,

the entire visible surface being composed of L elements previouslyplaced upon and adhered to a backing sheet, thus facilitating theproduction of a building unit of the type referred to and maintainingproduction costs of such units at a relatively low level.

A further object is to provide such an apparatus wherein a preassembledbacking sheet with the spaced facing elements thereon may be placed inthe apparatus. and the latter operated to apply mortar to the spacesbetween the facing elements and press the mortar in position to bond itwith the backing sheet and with the edges of the facing elements.

A further object is to provide such an apparatus having a hopper formortar, and to provide means for controlling the flow of and applyingthe mortar in the spaces between the facing elements, the apparatusbeing of such nature that with a supply of mortar in the hopper, theunits can be completedv for installation in rapid succession.

A further objectis to provide such an apparatus wherein the bottom ofthe hopper is provided. with slots corresponding to the spaces betweenthe facing elements together with. a grid corresponding in shape to theslots to control the flow of mortar therethrough where-by,- upon theplacing of a semi-completed unit in position against the bottom of thehopper and associated elements, the grid can be raised to dischargemortar through the slots and then lowered to press the mortar into thespaces between the facing elements to impact the mortar and effeet thebonding thereof with the edges of the facing elements and with thebacking. sheet between such elements.

A further object is to provide such an apparatus wherein a verticallymovable platen receives a semi-assembled unit and is provided with guidemeans for exactly positioning the unit relative to the hopper andassociated elements, and to provide means for raising the platen to movethe semi-finished unit upwardly to a mortar-receiving position.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings. I have shown. one embodiment of the invention. In thisshowing,

Figure: l. is a front elevation of the apparatus,

Figure 2 is a top plan view,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing,in effect, a bottom plan view of the hopper and associated elements,

.parent later.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 1, partsbeing broken away,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the grid,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the bottom ofthe hopper,

Figure 7 is a detailed perspective view of a latch device,

Figure 8 is a face view of one of the semii'inished building facingunits, and

Figure 9 is a top edge view of the same.

Referring to Figures 1 and l, the numeral l0 designates a horizontalframe supported a suitable distance above the fiooring by means of legsH of any desired type. Above the floor, the legs H are connected byangle iron braces I2 to render the supporting structure relativelyrigid. At the rear of the apparatus, as shown in Figure 4, an upstandingstop plate i3 is connected to the frame for a purpose to be described.At one side of the apparatus, and at the left as viewed in Figure 1, isarranged an angle iron guide 14, this guide being perpendicular to thestop plate I 3.

Arranged above the frame It and supported thereby is a rigid platen [6preferably in the form of a steel sheet, arranged with one edge adjacentthe guide i l. The platen is directly vertically movable and for thispurpose is connected to rods ll operable in guides (Figure 4). The lowerends of the rods l! are pivotally connected to the outer ends of leversl8 and these levers are pivotally supported intermediate their ends asat 19. The inner ends of the levers are pivotally connected by links 28to a treadle 2!. It will be apparent that downward movement of thetreadle moves the inner ends of the levers IS downwardly, thus movingthe scribed.

The front of the frame It at opposite sides of the apparatus is providedwith angle brackets 32 to the upper ends of which are pivoted latches 33having inwardly extending latch fingers 34 engageable against the topsof the horizontal flanges of the brackets 29 to clamp the hopper in theoperative position shown in Figure 1, the

front portion of the hopper being supported by the brackets 29 whichrest on the upper ends 'of the brackets 32.

The bottom 26 of the hopper is slotted as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5.These slots extend longitudinally and parallel to each other as at 38(Figure 6) and these slots are connected by transverse slots 39. Beyondthe outermost slots 38, the bottom is provided with transverse slots 40extending beyond the outermost slots 38 a distance approximately equalto the length of the slots 39. The slots 38 are in spaced parallelrelation, but the slots 39 are relatively staggered, corresponding tothe relation of the staggering of the spaces between the ends of thebricks of a wall, as will become more ap- Certain portions of the bottom23, because of the formation of the slots, will be completely cut awayas in Figure 6, and such portions of the bottom are supported by meansto be described.

. paratus above the hopper 25.

A grid indicated as a whole by the numeral 45 is arranged in the hopper25. This grid comprises a rectangular supporting frame 46, the endportions of which are provided with upstanding arms ll for a purpose tobe described. The grid proper is formed of a plurality of spacedparallel bars 48 arranged vertically edgewise as shown in Figure 5, andthese bars are connected by a plurality of transverse similarly shapedand arranged bar sections 49. To the outermost bars 43 are connectedlaterally extending bar sections 50. These various bars correspondexactly to the arrangement of the slots in the bottom 26, and it willbecome apparent that the bars 48 are slidable vertically in the slots38; that the bars 49 are slidable vertically in the slots 39, and thatthe laterally extending bars 58 are vertically slidable in the slots 40.The various bars fit the slots and form closure means therefor underconditions to be described to prevent the flow of mortar downwardlythrough the slots until such fiow becomes desirable.

A shaft 54 extends longitudinally of the ap- This shaft is supported byears 55 extending upwardly from and preferably formed integral with theend walls of the hopper. One end of the shaft 54 is bent as at 56 toform a lever end for rocking the shaft as will become apparent below.The shaft 54 carries arms 58 pivotally connected to the upper ends ofthe arms 4?. It will be apparent that the rocking of the shaft 54 by thelever arm 56 will raise and lower the grid structure. To assist theproper movement of the grid structure, the bottom 26 of the hopper maybe provided with upstanding angular guides 59 (Figures 2 and 4)engageable with the corners of the grid frame 48.

The various rods 48, 49 and 50 are accurately made and preferably weldedtogether for operation in the slots of the hopper bottom 26. In theassembling of the device, those portions of the bottom 26 which are cutaway by completely surrounding'slots are anchored relative to adjacentbottom portions by inverted U- shaped yokes 62 welded in position to theportions of the bottom 26 with which they contact. Certain of theseanchoring yokes will bridge across slots 33 and certain of them acrossslots 39 as will be apparent from Figure 2. These yokes receivetherewithin the bars of the grid structure and serve not only to assistin guiding such structure for vertical movement, but also limit itsupward movement.

Against the lower face of the hopper bottom 26 is secured a plurality ofpreferably rubber pressure blocks 64. These blocks have their edgesspaced to correspond with the width of the slots 38, 39 and 40 as willbe apparent in Figure 3. The outer edges of the outermost blocks 64 andthe outermost ends of the slots 38 and 40 preferably define a perfectrectangle as shown in Figure 3, the purpose of which, in forming thefinished building panel or unit, will be described below.

As will be described below, mortar is fed through the slots in thehopper bottom 25, and to assist in the feeding of the mortar, a motor 65is preferably employed as shown in Figure 1, supported by a suitablebracket 66 and carrying an eccentric weight 67. When the motor isrunning, the eccentricity of the weight causes the apparatus to vibrate.

In Figures 8 and 9, I have shown a finished building panel constructedas disclosed and 5 claimed in my copending application referred to.- Itwill become apparent that the disclosure in Figures 8 and '9 is for thepurpose of assisting in an understanding of the present apparatus.

The finished panel comprises a backing sheet 10 against the face ofwhich is arranged a plurality of relatively thin brick elements Harranged in staggered relation corresopnding to the normal relation ofbricks in a wall as shown in Figure 8. By means forming no part of thepresent invention, these brick elements are positioned on the backingsheet in the arrangement shown and described and are secured to thebacking sheet 10 by a suitable water -proof adhesive. This adhesive isapplied only in the individual areas which will be covered by the brickelements, thus leaving the backing sheet exposed in the spaces betweenthe brick elements. Because of the staggered relation of the bricks,certain of the bricks will project beyond one end of the unit formingspaces 12, while alternate bricks project from the other end of the unitto form similar spaces indicated by the same numeral.

The backing sheet '10 corresponds in shape to the plurality of brickelements thus assembled, but has edge portions extending slightlythere'- beyond throughout the profile of the assembled bricks, as at 13.This projection is exposed for the driving of nails through the backingsheet to attach the unit to a supporting structure such as the sheathingof a building. Finished units are assembled by inserting the projectingbricks of one end of the unit into the spaces 12 of the adjacent end ofthe adjacent unit. Similarly, each successive unit from the bottom isplaced in edge to edge relation as the wall progresses vertically, andall spaces between the bricks of each unit and the bricks of adjacentunits will correspond in width to the spaces between the bricks formingeach individual unit. To provide for this mode of assembly, theprojecting edges l3 of the backing sheet 10 are of a width equal toexactly one-half of, and not greater than, the width of the spacesbetween the brick elements of each panel.

The spaces between the bricks of each individual element are filled bythe present machine within the rectangle defined by the verticalconstruction lines 14 and horizontal construction lines 15 in Figure 8.This rectangle corresponds r to the rectangle defined by the blocks 34and the outermost edges of the slots 38 and All in Figure 3. Thus theprojecting edges 13 are left exposed, and these edges are covered andthe spaces between edges of the bricks between adjacent panels arefilled with mortar corresponding to the mortar between the bricks of theindividual panels, within the lines M and l5, but a suitable extrudingdevice forming no part of the present invention. This may be done as theassembly of units progresses in the wall, or after the wall hasbeen'fully erected.

Operation The hopper is supplied with mortar mixed to the properconsistency as is the usual practice and as dictated by experience inthe operation of the apparatus. The lever arm 56 is normally in itslower position as shown in Figure 2, in which case the bars of the grid45 will be arranged within the slots 38, 39 and 40 of the hopper bottom,as shown in Figure 4. I

One of the semi-finished units 'lil is prepared by covering areas of thebacking sheet with a '6 waterproof adhesive, placing the brick elementson the backing sheet and pressing the brick elements in position. Theface of the backing sheet between the brick elements is left clear ofadhesive for the bonding of the mortar thereto in making the completedunit with the present apparatus. The semi-finished unit thus prepared isinserted in the machine by sliding it across the top of the platen Itwith its left hand edge engaging the guide Hi. The unit is pushedrearwardly into the machine until the rear edge of the unit contacts thestop plate ('3 as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. All of the spacesbetween the brick elements of the unit will then exactly coincide withthe corresponding slots 38, 39 and '40.

The operator will then depress the treadle 2| to move the platen IEupwardly to engage the brick elements against the rubber or similarblocks 6%. Holding the treadle 2| in such position and with the motor 55preferably running to vibrate the machine, the operator will lift thelever arm at to move the grid upwardly until the lower edges of the gridbars are arranged above the hopper bottom 26 to a sufficient extent topermit the mortar to flow from the hopper into the spaces between thebrick elements. By practicing a short time, an operator can acquire thenecessary degree of skill to determine when 'sufficient mortar hasflowed through the slots 38, 39 and it and into the spaces between thebrick elements H. The operator will then move the lever arm 5tdownwardly and this operation not only closes the slots 38, 39 and 4b toout off the flow of mortar, but also results in the movement of the barsof the grid downwardly to compress the mortar in the spaces between thebrick elements El. When this operation is completed, the platen i6 isdropped by releasing the treadle 2|, whereupon the completed unit 7!! isremoved from the machine.

The mortar will be applied only in the spaces between adjacent brickelements within the rectangle defined by the lines '14 and 15 in Figure8. Thus the projecting edges E3 of the backing sheet will be left bareuntil the units are assembled into a completed wall as briefly referredto below. Attention is invited to the fact that the mortar applied inthe spaces referred to will bond with the edges of the brick elementsand with the face of the backing sheet between the brick elements, thusproviding a permanent building structural unit.

The units are assembled as stated above, the horizontally projectingbrick elements and associated backing sheet portions being inserted inthe recesses 12 of the next horizontally adjacent unit. A suitableextruding device with the same mortar as used in the hopper 25 is thenused for filling the spaces between the brick elements of adjacentunits. The upper and lower edges of tthe backing sheet'are straight andparallel, and the backing sheet projects beyond the brick elements adistance equal to one-half the width of the spaces between the brickelements of each unit. Therefore, when a next higher unit is placed inposition with the edges of the backing sheet in contact, the spacebetween each top brick of the lower unit and the lower brick of the nexthigher unit will be equal in width to the spaces between the brickelements of each unit.

Such spaces are similarly filled with mortar, and the completed wall,because the surface is formed of real brick elements and mortar, cannotbe distinguished from a solid masonry wall. The yoke members 62, aspreviously stated, serve to anchor those portions of the hopper bottom26 which are completely cut away by surrounding slots 38 and 39. Theseelements are accurately assembled in a suitable jig and the lower endsof the yokes 62, are welded in position after the grid 45 has beenplaced on the assembled bottom 26. The yokes 62 also limit upwardmovement of the grid.

In the actual use of the machine, it has been found that successivesemi-finished units may be very rapidly successively completed by theapplication of mortar between the brick elements in the mannerdescribed. Of course, after each unit is completed, it is set aside orstored for the setting and hardening of the mortar. The completed unitsare readily applicable against the sheathing of a building by nailingthrough the slightly projecting edges of the backing sheet. These edgesprovide not only nailing portions, but they serve also accurately toposition the adjacent units relative to each other.

While the apparatus has been described with respect to the formation ofunits simulating conventional brick-laying practice, it will be apparentthat the arrangement of the elements it may be changed and elements ofdiiferent sizes may be employed. It will be understood, of course, thatthe formation of the grid and associated elements must correspond to thearrangement of whatever elements H are used.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for applying filler material in a space between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a support for the unit, a hopperover said support having a bottom opening, said support adapted toposition the unit with the space between surface elements thereof belowand in registration with said bottom hopper opening, and a verticallymovable control element snugly fitting said opening and normallyarranged therein to prevent the flow through said opening of fillermaterial in said hopper, said control element being movable upwardly toa position uncovering said opening for the flow of filler materialtherethrough and downwardly to a position for pressing said materialbetween the elements of said unit. I

2. Apparatus for applying filler material in a space between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a support for the unit, a hopperover said support having a bottom opening, said support adapted toposition the unit with the space between surface elements thereof belowand in registration with said bottom hopper opening, a verticallymovable control element snugly fitting said opening and normallyarranged therein to prevent the flow through said opening of fillermaterial in said hopper, said control element being movable upwardly toa position uncovering said opening for the flow of filler materialtherethrough and downwardly to a position for pressing said materialbetween the elements of said unit, and lever means for effectingmovement of said control element between its two positions.

3. Apparatus for applying filler material in a space between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a support for the unit, a hopperover said support having a bottom opening, said support adapted toposition the unit with the space between surface elements thereof belowand in registration with said bottom hopper opening, a verticallymovable control element snugly fitting said opening and normallyarranged therein to prevent the flow through said opening of fillermaterial in said hopper, said control element being movable upwardly toa position uncovering said opening for the flow of filler materialtherethrough and downwardly to a position for pressing said materialbetween the elements of said unit, and means in said hopper engagingsaid control element to limit upward movement of said control element.

4. Apparatus for applying filler material in a space between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a support for the unit, a hopperover said support having a bottom opening, said support adapted toposition the unit with the space between surface elements thereof belowand in registration with said bottom hopper opening, a verticallymovable control element snugly fitting said opening and normallyarranged therein to prevent the flow through said opening of fillermaterial in said hopper, said control element being movable upwardly toa position uncovering said opening for the flow of filler materialtherethrough and downwardly to a position for pressing said materialbetween the elements of said unit, means in said hopper engaging saidcontrol element to limit upward movement of said control element, andlever means for eifecting movement of said control element between itstwo positions.

5. Apparatus for applying filler material in a space between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a support for the unit, a hopperover said support having a bottom opening, means adjacent said supportfor positioning a unit on said support with the space in said unit to befilled in vertical alignment with said opening, and a control elementsnugly fitting said opening and normally closing the same, said controlelement being mounted for movement between an upper position uncoveringsaid opening for the flow therethrough of material in said hopper and alower position engaging the material dropped in said space of the unitto press the filler material into such space.

6. Apparatus for applying filler material in a space between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a support for the unit, a hopperover said support having a. bottom opening, means adjacent said supportfor positioning a unit on said support with the space in said unit to befilled in vertical alignment with said opening, a control element snuglyfitting said opening and normally closing the same, said control elementbeing mounted for movement between an upper position uncovering saidopening for the flow therethrough of material in said hopper and a lowerposition engaging the material dropped in said space of the unit topress the filler material into such space, lever means for moving saidcontrol element between its two positions, and means for limiting upwardmovement of said control element to said upper position.

7. Apparatus for applying filler material in a space between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a vertically movable platen onwhich the unit is adapted to be arranged, a hopper mounted above abovesaid platen and having a bottom provided with an opening correspondingin shape and size to a space between the surface elements of said unitto be filled with the filler material, means for moving said platenupwardly to move the unit into proximity to the bottom of said hopper,and a control element fitting and vertically slidable in said openingand normally closing the same, said control element being movableupwardly to a position uncovering said opening for the flow of materialdownwardly therethrough, and being movable downwardly through saidopening to a position engaging the filler material in said space betweenthe, surface elements of said unit to press the material downwardly insuch space.

8. Apparatusfor applying filler material in a space between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a vertically movable platen onwhich the unit is adapted to be arranged, a hopper mounted above saidplaten and having a bottom provided with an opening corresponding inshape and size to a space between the surface elements of said unit tobe filled with the filler material, means for moving said platenupwardly to move the unit into proximity to the bottom of said hopper,a. control element fitting and vertically slidable in said opening andnormally closing the same, said control element being movable upwardlyto a position uncovering said opening for the flow of materialdownwardly therethrough, and being movable downwardly through saidopening to a position engaging the filler material in said space betweenthe surface elements of said unit to press the material downwardly insuch space, means adjacent said platen engageable with edges of a unitof predetermined fcrm to position the unit with said space thereof invertical registration with the opening in'the bottom of said hopper.

9. Apparatus for applying filler material in a space between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a vertically movable platen onwhich the unit is adapted to be arranged, a hopper mounted above saidplaten and having a bottom provided with an opening corresponding inshape and size to a space between the surface elements of said unit tobe filled with the filler material, means for moving said platenupwardly to move the unit into proximity to the bottom of said hopper, acontrol element fitting and vertically slidable in said opening andnormally closing the same, said control element being movable upwardlyto a position uncovering said opening for the flow of materialdownwardly therethrough, and being movable downwardly through saidopening to a position engaging the filler material in said space betweenthe surface elements of said unit to press the material downwardly insuch space, means for effecting movement of said control element betweenits two positions, and means in said hopper engageable with said controlelement for limiting its upward movement to said first-named position.

10. Apparatus for applying filler material in a space between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a vertically movable platen onwhich the unit is adapted to be arranged, a hopper mounted above saidplaten and having a bottom provided with an opening corresponding inshape and size to a space between the surface elements of said unit tobe filled with the filler material, means for moving said platenupwardly to move the unit into proximity to the bottom of said hopper, acontrol element fitting and vertically slidable in said opening andnormally closing the same, said control element being movable upwardlyto a position uncovering said opening for the flow of materialdownwardly therethrough, and being movable downwardly through saidopening to a position engaging the filler material in said space betweenthe surface elements of said unit to press the material downwardly insuch space, means adjacent said platen engageable with edges of a unitof predetermined form to position the unit W th said space thereof invertical registration with the opening in the bottom of said hopper,means for effecting movement of said control element between its twovpositions, and means in said hopper engageable with said control elementfor limiting its upward movement to said first-named position.

11. Apparatus for applying filler material in grooves between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a horizontal platen mounted forvertical movement, a hopper arranged above said platen and having ahorizontal bottom provided with slots corresponding in size andarrangement to the grooves between the surface elements of the unit, agrid in said hopper formed of bars corresponding in shape and size tosaid slots to fit therein and normally close said slots to prevent; theflow of filler material downwardly there! through, said grid beingvertically movable to an upper position uncovering said slots for theflow of filler material therethrough and to a lower position closingsaid slots and extending beneaththe bottom of said hopper to engage andcompress the filler material in the grooves of the unit, yokes connectedto said bottom of said hopper and straddling certain of the bars of saidgrid to limit upward movement of the latter to said upper position, anda lever for eifecting vertical movement of said grid.

12. Apparatus for applying filler material grooves between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a horizontal platen mounted forvertical movement, a hopper arranged above said platen and having ahorizontal bottom provided with slots corresponding in size andarrangement to the grooves between the surface elements of the unit, agrid in said hopper formed of bars corresponding in shape and size tosaid slots to fit therein and normally close said slots to pre-. ventthe flow of filler material downwardly therethrough, said grid beingvertically movable to an upper position uncovering said slots for theflow of filler material therethrough and to a lower position closingsaid slots and extending beneath the bottom of said hopper to engage andcompress the filler material in the grooves of the unit, yokes connectedto said bottom of said hopper and straddling certain of the bars of saidgrid to limit upward movement of the latter to said upper position, anda lever for effecting vertical movement of said grid, certain of saidslots continuously surrounding a portion of the bottom of said hopperwhereby such portion is wholly severed from the remaining portions ofsaid bottom, certain of said yokes connecting such severed portions ofsaid bottom to other portions thereof to support such severed portion inthe plane of the remaining portions of said bottom.

13. Apparatus for applying filler material in grooves between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a horizontal platen mounted forvertical movement, a hopper arranged above said platen and having ahorizontal bottom provided with slots corresponding in size andarrangement to the grooves between the surface elements of the unit, agrid in said hopper formed of bars corresponding in shape and size tosaid slots to fit therein and normally close said slots to prevent theflow of filler material downwardly therethrough, said grid beingvertically movable to an upper position uncovering said slots for theflow of filler material therethrough and to a lower position closingsaid slots and extending beneath the bottom of said hopper to engageandcompress the filler material in the grooves of the unit,

yokes connected to said bottom of said hopper and straddling certain ofthe bars of said grid to limit upward movement of the latter to saidupper position, a lever for effecting vertical movement of said grid,means adjacent said platen for positioning thereon a predetermined formof unit in such position that said grooves thereof are verticallyaligned with said slots, and a treadle for moving said platen upwardlyto move the unit into proximity to the bottom of said hopper.

14. Apparatus for applying filler material in grooves between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a horizontal platen mounted forvertical movement, a hopper arranged above said platen and having ahorizontal bottom provided with slots corresponding in size andarrangement to the grooves between the surface elements of the unit, agrid in said hopper formed of bars corresponding in shape and size tosaid slots to fit therein and normally close said slots to prevent thefiow of filler material downwardly therethrough, said grid beingvertically movable to an upper position uncovering said slots for theflow of filler material therethrough and to a lower position closingsaid slots and extending beneath the bottom of said hopper to engage andcompress the filler material in the grooves of the unit, yokes connectedto said bottom of said hopper and straddling certain of the bars of saidgrid to limit upward movement of the latter to said upper position, alever for efiecting vertical movement of said grid, certain of saidslots continuously surrounding a portion of the bottom of said hopperwhereby such portion is wholly severed from the remaining portions ofsaid bottom, certain of said yokes connecting such severed portions ofsaid bottom to other portions thereof to support such severed portion inthe plane of the remaining portions of said bottom, means adjacent saidplaten for positioning thereon a predetermined form of unit in suchposition that said grooves thereof are vertically aligned with said 12slots, and a treadle for moving said platen upwardly to move the unitinto proximity to the bottom of said hopper.

15. Apparatus for applying filler material in grooves between surfaceelements of a building unit, comprising a horizontal platen mounted forvertical movement, a hopper arranged above said platen and having ahorizontal bottom provided with slots corresponding in size andarrangement to the grooves between the surface elements of the unit, agrid in said hopper formed of bars corresponding in shape and size tosaid slots to fit therein and normally close said slots to prevent thefiow of filler material downwardly therethrough, said grid beingvertically movable to an upper position uncovering said slots for theflow of filler material therethrough and to a lower position closingsaid slots and extending beneath the bottom of said hopper to engage andcompress the filler material in the grooves of the unit, yokes connectedto said bottom of said hopper and straddling certain of the bars of saidgrid to limit upward movement of the latter to said upper position, alever for effecting vertical movement of said grid, cushion blocks fixedagainst the bottom of said hopper and having spaces therebetween of thesame Width as and registering with the slots in the bottom of saidhopper, and means for moving said platen upwardly to engage the facingelements of said unit against said blocks and holding the unit in suchposition during movement of said grid to its lower position.

JACK C. DAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Weston Aug. 19, 1924Number

